US20190030138A1 - Secreted splicing variant of mammal klotho as a medicament for cognition and behaviour impairments - Google Patents

Secreted splicing variant of mammal klotho as a medicament for cognition and behaviour impairments Download PDF

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US20190030138A1
US20190030138A1 US15/777,456 US201615777456A US2019030138A1 US 20190030138 A1 US20190030138 A1 US 20190030138A1 US 201615777456 A US201615777456 A US 201615777456A US 2019030138 A1 US2019030138 A1 US 2019030138A1
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klotho
disease
protein
mice
cognitive impairment
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Miguel Chillon Rodriguez
Anna Masso Chacon
Assumpció Bosch Merino
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Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona UAB
Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats ICREA
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Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of medical approaches for preventing and/or treating cognition impairment and behaviour impairments in patients suffering from diseases related to memory loss, and to learning difficulties, and/or with neurodegenerative and/or neuropathological diseases.
  • neurodegenerative and/or neuropathological diseases many of them related with aging, imply also cognitive impairments. Examples of these include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, depression and schizophrenia.
  • Klotho is a protein detected primarily in the distal convoluted tubule of the kidney, parathyroid hormone-secreting cells and choroid plexus epithelium of the brain. To a lesser extent ⁇ -klotho gene is also expressed in heart, skeletal muscle, urinary bladder, placenta, pancreas, testes, ovaries, colon and inner ear. Several studies in mice have revealed that the mutation of the single gene ⁇ -klotho on chromosome 13, induces a process of accelerated aging (See. Kuro-o, et al., Mutation of the mouse klotho gene leads to a syndrome resembling ageing. Nature -1997, vol. no.
  • ⁇ -klotho gene encodes a transcript of a 5.2 kb.
  • ⁇ -klotho gene encodes a transcript of a 5.2 kb.
  • the third exon there is an alternative splicing donor site that can generate two different transcripts: one encoding a transmembrane form (full transcript or full-length, 1014 amino acids) and the other a secreted form of the protein (half transmembrane transcript, 550 amino acids).
  • the full-length transcript encodes a single pass transmembrane protein with a molecular weight of approximately 130 kDa (m-KL).
  • the protein contains three domains: a short transmembrane domain at the C-terminal, an extracellular domain composed of two internal repeated sequences of about 550 amino acids called KL1 and KL2 respectively, and a very short intracellular domain of 10 amino acids.
  • the transcript from alternative splicing generates a truncated form of the protein (s-KL) that is formed solely by the KL1 domain, with an approximate weight of 70 kDa.
  • This alternative mRNA includes a specific secretion signal consisting of 15 amino acid tail that is not found in the m-KL transcript, and for this reason is also called the secreted isoform of klotho, s-KL, or the secreted splicing variant of klotho protein (See Matsumura et al., “Identification of the human klotho gene and its two transcripts encoding membrane and secreted Klotho protein”, Biochem Biophys Res Commun -1998, vol. No. 242, pp.:626-630).
  • this protein s-KL
  • extracellular domain of the transmembrane form can be cleaved by metalloproteinases ADAM10 and ADAM17 resulting in another form of soluble Klotho of about 130 kDa (abbreviated p-KL for proteolyzed membrane isoform), which has been detected in serum, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid.
  • p-KL proteolyzed membrane isoform
  • two recent studies indicate that there is a second recognition site for the proteases ADAM10 and 17 located between the KL1 and KL2 domains, which generates two new 70 kDa isoforms, one contained the KL1 domain only (like the one generated from alternative splicing but without the specific amino acid tail), and the other one contained the KL2 domain.
  • Klotho protein might enter the circulatory system through two main mechanisms: (a) from an alternative splicing (s-KL), and (b) by proteolytic cleavage mediated by ADAM 10 and 17. However, it is unknown the percentage that each of these events occurs.
  • Another transgenic mouse also analyzed by Dubal et al. is particularly focused on Alzheimer's disease and it shows that elevating klotho expression decreases premature mortality, network dysfunction, cognitive deficits and behavioural abnormalities in human amyloid precursor protein (hAPP) transgenic mice, and all without altering the levels of hAPP (Dubal et al., Life Extension factor Klotho Prevents Mortality and Enhances Cognition in hAPP Transgenic Mice”, The Journal of Neuroscience— 2015, vol. 35/6, pp.:2358-2371).
  • hAPP amyloid precursor protein
  • transgenic models it is likely evaluated the effect of the full-length transmembrane protein with a molecular weight of approximately 130 kDa (m-KL), and if any of the other isoforms are contributing to the effect, specially the processed Klotho (p-KL) isoform, this cannot be determined from the experimental procedure used by authors since current available detection systems are not capable of distinguishing among the different klotho isoforms.
  • transgenic animals over-expressing a protein of interest may be good models for the analysis of its effects, they also imply the inconvenient of having this protein expressed ubiquitously (body and brain), and data may in addition be made up by the genetic background of the transgenic animal.
  • klotho upregulation contributes to the neuroprotection of ligustilide (LIG) in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model”, Neurobiology of Aging— 2013, pp. 1-10.
  • LIG ligustilide
  • AD Alzheimer's disease
  • the data show that chronic administration of LIG prevents the development of AD-like neuropathologies and memory impairment in aging.
  • Klotho up-regulation suggests that the likely underlying mechanism involve Klotho up-regulation.
  • klotho protein is suggested as therapeutic target for age-related AD.
  • the present invention results from inventor's determination of the real expression at protein level (not only as mRNA) of the splicing variant of mammal klotho protein in mouse wild-type brain tissue.
  • a self-made antibody raised against a peptide amino acid sequence comprised in the last twenty amino acids of the C-terminal end of the mice s-KL inventors detected that in the whole brain of wild-type mice (C57Bl6 of Harlan Laboratories BV), and in some specific parts of the brain the expressed isoform of Klotho protein was an isoform having a molecular weight near 70 KDa, likely s-KL but with posttranslational modifications.
  • the inventors have herein studied the functional relevance at behavioural level, of modifying s-KL levels in the aging brain. They used AAVrh10 vectors to deliver and sustained expression of s-KL in adult and middle-aged wild-type C57BL/6J males. This study demonstrates for the first time in vivo, that six months after a single injection of s-KL into the CNS, long-lasting and quantifiable enhancement of learning and memory capabilities are found. More importantly, cognitive improvement is observable in 18-months-old mice treated once, at middle-age. These findings demonstrate the therapeutic potential of s-KL as a treatment for cognitive decline.
  • the inventors have found for first time, that the klotho transcript produced by alternative splicing generates a protein of 70 KDa which they demonstrate that it is stable, and that this isoform is more abundant in brain that in other parts of the body. Moreover, it is believed that is the first time that secreted klotho is directly administered in vivo, not expressed by means of a transgenic model. As said before, the administration of s-KL leads to an amelioration of cognitive and behaviour faculties. Thus, the inventors provide the use of s-KL as a new treatment for cognitive and/or behaviour impairments, and/or with neurodegenerative and/or neuropathological diseases. This represents a more specific and CNS-oriented treatment for these diseases, since it is demonstrated herein that s-KL is the most prevalent isoform in brain parts related to cognition and behaviour natively expresses s-KL.
  • the inventors propose as a first aspect the secreted splicing variant of mammal Klotho protein or the nucleic acid sequence coding therefor for use in the prevention and/or treatment of cognitive and/or behaviour impairment, and/or with neurodegenerative and/or neuropathological diseases in a mammal.
  • This aspect can also be formulated as the use of s-KL as defined above for the manufacture of a medicament for the prevention and/or treatment of cognitive and/or behaviour impairment, and/or with neurodegenerative and/or neuropathological diseases.
  • the present invention also relates to a method for the treatment or prevention of cognitive and/or behaviour impairment, and/or with neurodegenerative and/or neuropathological diseases, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of s-KL protein or of nucleic acid sequence coding therefor as defined above, together with pharmaceutically acceptable excipients or carriers, in a subject in need thereof, including a human.
  • the splicing variant s-KL of Klotho protein appears, as above exposed, disclosed in Matsumura.
  • other documents refer also to this splicing variant.
  • Shiraki-lida et al. “Structure of the mouse klotho gene and its two transcripts encoding membrane and secreted protein”, FEBS Letters— 1998, vol 424, pp.: 6-10, discloses a supposed s-KL1 secreted protein detected at mRNA level.
  • secreted splicing variant of mammal Klotho refers to the protein resulting from the transcript from alternative splicing, which generates a truncated form of the protein (s-KL) that is formed solely by the KL1 domain, with an approximate weight of 70 kDa.
  • This alternative mRNA includes a specific secretion signal consisting of 15 amino acid tail that is not found in the m-KL transcript, and for this reason is also called the secreted isoform of klotho, s-KL, or the secreted splicing variant of klotho protein.
  • s-KL is different from other forms of soluble klotho, namely p-KL, p-KL1 and p-KL2.
  • m-KL stands for the full-length transmembrane form
  • p-KL stands for the soluble proteolyzed klotho, which is generated by cleavage of the m-KL
  • p-KL1 and p-KL2 stand for the soluble klotho forms consisting of the KL1 domain and the KL2 domain of p-KL.
  • m-KL comes from the full-length transcript encoding a single pass transmembrane protein with a molecular weight of approximately 130 kDa (m-KL).
  • the protein contains three domains: a short transmembrane domain at the C-terminal, an extracellular domain composed of two internal repeated sequences of about 550 amino acids called KL1 and KL2 respectively, and a very short intracellular domain of 10 amino acids.
  • the extracellular domain of the transmembrane form can be cleaved by metalloproteinases ADAM10 and ADAM17 resulting in another form of soluble Klotho of about 130 kDa (abbreviated p-KL for proteolyzed membrane isoform.
  • the invention in a second aspect relates to a gene construct comprising a nucleic acid sequence coding for the secreted splicing variant of mammal klotho protein (s-KL) operatively linked to an expression promoter.
  • s-KL mammal klotho protein
  • Another aspect of the invention is an expression vector with central nervous system tropism comprising the gene construct as defined above, thus comprising a nucleic acid sequence coding for the secreted splicing variant of mammal klotho protein (s-KL) operatively linked to an expression promoter.
  • s-KL mammal klotho protein
  • Yet another aspect of the invention is a pharmaceutical composition
  • a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the secreted splicing variant of mammal klotho protein and/or the gene construct as defined above, and/or the vector as defined above, together with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients or carriers.
  • the secreted splicing variant of mammal klotho protein or the nucleic acid sequence coding therefor for use in combination therapy for the prevention and/or treatment of cognitive and/or behaviour impairment, and/or with neurodegenerative and/or neuropathological diseases in a patient, wherein the protein or the nucleic acid sequence coding therefor is to be administered in combination with another active agent for the same indication.
  • the combination relates to a pharmaceutically composition or preparation for administration of s-KL with any other active agent, which can be done separately, in any order, within a therapeutically effective interval, or for the simultaneously administration of the active agents.
  • the Open Field test was used to study whether s-KL is able to affect locomotion, exploratory activity, emotionality, neophobia and anxiety like behaviors. Briefly, the inventors found that regardless of age, the animals overexpressing s-KL show mild hyperactivity, an increased locomotor activity when compared to control animals, and therefore, that the administration of s-KL in the CNS seems to reverse, at least partially, the gradual decline in locomotor activity observed around 12 months of age.
  • mice were more efficient in solving the task and they learn faster than the control animals, indicating that s-KL significantly improves long-term memory in mice.
  • animals injected with shRNA-sKL showed problems in learning the task and swam a greater distance to reach the platform.
  • these opposite effects were also observed in the final memory tests (24 hours after the last training).
  • this study provides new evidence indicating an important role for s-KL in cognitive functions, with reduced levels in hippocampus being associated to low cognitive performance.
  • the study also demonstrates that a single icy injection of s-KL into the CNS has great potential as a long-lasting and quantificable agent to stimulate cognitive skills, even, protecting age-dependent cognitive decline when mice were treated at old ages.
  • these are the first data obtained in vivo, in which the action of only the secreted Klotho protein improves the learning and memory capabilities of old animals when treated in adulthood.
  • the results suggest s-KL may have therapeutic potential for dementia. This represents a promising new therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease or Multiple Sclerosis among others.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the procedure for constructing adeno-associated virus as vectors carrying a plasmid with the gene construct of the invention for expressing the different variants of klotho protein.
  • the pUC57-KL synthetic plasmid (GenScript, USA) is partially represented showing an insert coding for klotho protein and indicating the restriction sites.
  • KL1 indicates the sequence coding for KL1 domain and comprises a contiguous square representing the sequence coding for the tail of amino acids only present in the secreted splicing variant of klotho s-KL.
  • KL2 represents the sequence coding for KL2 domain of klotho.
  • panel (B) it is schematically viewed the strategy to obtain from the synthetic pUC57-pKL, the pGG2-sKL plasmids carrying the sequence coding for the klotho protein. This plasmid is then introduced in 293-AAV cells (Stratagene).
  • AAV-s-KL (or AAVrh10-s-KL) designates the adeno-associated virus carrying the plasmid with the gene construct coding for s-KL. This figure is related to Example 1.
  • FIG. 2 shows, respectively, the total distance (cm) in open field test made by Null, m-KL or s-KL 18 months old mice (panel A); the total distance (cm) made per minute for each type of mouse (panel B), recorded during one minute (in X-axis, MIN is the minute 1 to 5 of assay, circles for Null, squares for m-KL and triangles for s-KL).
  • This figure is related to Example 2C.
  • FIG. 3 shows the results of a T-maze test performed in control mice (squares), and s-KL mice (circles). Percentage of success in the free choice test distributed along the different days of the assay (from day 1 to day 3). This figure is related to Example 2D.
  • FIG. 4 depicts the results of a Morris Water Maze test performed in s-KL mice (circles), and Null mice (squares).
  • FIG. 4 (A) depicts per each place task (PT) test performed 1 to 4, the mean speed (in cm/s) to get the platform.
  • FIG. 4 (B) indicates the mean distance (in cm) to get the platform. The test was performed with 18 months old mice. This figure is related to Example 2D.
  • FIG. 5 is a graphic showing the results of a long-term memory test performed 24 hours after a cue test part of the Morris Water Maze test. The test was performed with 18 months old mice. In Y-axis it is recorded the percentage of distance (%) in relation to the total done in several squares of the swimming pool.
  • Left bar in each group (Null, or s-KL) is the percentage of distance in the square where previously the platform was disposed (PTf square); second bar in each group shows the percentage of distance in the opposite square (Opos PTf), third bar is the percentage of distance made in the square at right of the platform (R PTf), and right bar in each group is the percentage of distance made in the square at the left of the platform (L PTf). This figure is related to Example 2D.
  • FIG. 6 shows relative expression in relation to controls of s-KL in several brain parts or sections (Prefrontal cortex, PFC; cortex, C; hippocampus, H; and cerebellum, CB) of AAV-treated animals. This figure is related to Example 2E.
  • FIG. 7 shows, respectively, the total distance (cm) in open field test made by s-KL, shRNA-sKL and Control, 12-months old mice (panel A); the total distance (cm) made per minute for each type of mouse (panel B), recorded during one minute (in X-axe, MIN is the minute 1 to 5 of assay, squares for Null, triangles for shRNA-sKL and circles for s-KL); and different parameters to evaluate the exploratory activity in the open field test. (panel C). This figure is related to Example 3B.
  • FIG. 8 depicts the results of a Morris Water Maze test performed in in 12-months old mice. s-KL mice (circles), shRNA-sKL mice (triangles), and Null mice (squares).
  • FIG. 8 (A) depicts per each place task (PT) test performed 1 to 4, the mean latency (in seconds, s) to get the platform.
  • FIG. 8 (B) indicates the mean distance (in cm) to get the platform. The test was performed with 18 months old mice.
  • FIG. 8 (C) shows the results of the Morris Water Maze memory test performed in 12-months old mice, and performed 24 hours after the cue test part of the test. In Y-axis it is recorded the percentage of distance (%) in relation to the total distance done in several squares of the swimming pool.
  • Left bar in each group is the percentage of distance in the square where previously the platform was disposed (PTf square); second bar in each group shows the percentage of distance in the opposite square (Opos PTf), third bar is the percentage of distance made in the square at right of the platform (R PTf), and right bar in each group is the percentage of distance made in the square at the left of the platform (L PTf). This figure is related to Example 3C.
  • FIG. 9 is a Western blot image of an assay conducted to detect klotho protein in wild-type mice (C571316) tissues with a commercial antibody (KM2076, of Cosmobio Japan): Kidney, Whole brain and particular brain sections prefrontal cortex (CPf), in cortex (Cx), cerebellum (CB), and hippocampus (HC). Klotho protein in brain had a molecular weight between 70 and 100 KDa, meanwhile in kidney the protein has a molecular weight near 130 KDa. This figure is related to Example 4.
  • FIG. 10 (A-D) shows the analysis of the s-KL protein by Western-blot using a rabbit anti-mouse antibody (self-made and named Ab K113), raised specifically against s-KL.
  • Actine (42 kDa) was used to normalize the amount of protein analyzed. Samples were quantified by densitometry using ImageJ software, the public domain, Java-based image processing program developed at the National Institute of Health. For each brain area analysed, Fold-change from 18 months-old mice relative to those obtained from 6 months-old mice are depicted in bar diagrams.
  • FIG. 11 s-KL and m-KL expression levels in AAV-treated mice. s-KL levels were quantified in the hippocampus of s-KL, shRNA-sKL and null treated animals 6 months after hippocampal administration. mRNA levels of s-KL and m-KL transcripts were normalized respect the values obtained in control animals. This figure is related to Example 5.
  • a “gene construct” according to the invention can also be named as an “expression cassette”. It refers to a polynucleotide sequence including in turn a sequence coding for a protein of interest, which is operatively linked to a expression promoter, said promoter controlling expression of the sequence coding for the protein.
  • operatively linked is to be understood that the sequence coding for the protein is disposed after the sequence of the promoter (in the 5′-3′ direction), or near the promoter in case restriction sites are included, or other stabilizing elements of the gene construction are present.
  • the gene constructs may also comprise small fragments with useful sequences to adapt it to more complex expression systems (vectors, plasmids), or a polyadenylation tail disposed after the sequence coding for the protein of interest.
  • the expression cassette itself is also a expression system, being vectors or plasmids further used to protect 3 0 the gene construct, or to promote entrance to cells in case of viral vectors.
  • the “promoters” are of DNA regions that initiate transcription of a particular genes. Promoters are located near the transcription start sites of genes, on the same strand and upstream on the DNA (towards the 5′ region of the sense strand). Promoters can be about 100-1000 base pairs long.
  • a “constitutive promoter” is a promoter that is active in all circumstances in the cell, contrary to others that are regulated, becoming active in the cell only in response to specific stimuli, such as “inducible promoters”. Other promoters are tissue or cell-specific, such as “neuron-specific promoters”.
  • polynucleotide sequence it is to be understood as a nucleic acid molecule (DNA or RNA) comprising deoxyribonucleotides or ribonucleotides. Nucleic acid can be single or double stranded, and it includes, but it is not limited to, nucleotide sequences coding for polypeptides.
  • AAV adeno-associated virus
  • An “expression vector”, otherwise known as an “expression construct”, is usually a plasmid or virus designed for protein expression in cells. The vector is used to introduce a specific gene into a target cell, and can commandeer the cell's mechanism for protein synthesis to produce the protein encoded by the gene. Expression vectors are the basic tools in biotechnology for the production of proteins.
  • An expression vector has features that any vector may have, such as an origin of replication, a selectable marker, and a suitable site for the insertion of a gene such as the multiple cloning site.
  • the “percentage of homology” between two amino acid sequences is to be understood as the percentage of the sequence positions identical or replaced with other amino acids with lateral chains of similar features (i.e. polar, non-polar, with amino groups, with —SH groups, that is, amino acids the same class), according to the broadly accepted classifications known by an expert in the field.
  • the “percentage of identity” between two amino acid sequences is to be understood as the percentage of the sequence positions with identical amino acids.
  • the percentage of homology and of identity between sequences may be calculated by means of “sequence alignment”.
  • the sequence alignment may be local or global. In the sense of the present invention the percentage of homology and of identity will be calculated, preferably, over a global alignment, among the entire sequence or an entire active fragment of the sequence.
  • Global alignments are more useful when the sequences are similar and have approximately the same size (long). There are several algorithms available in the state of the art for performing these global alignments. There are also bioinformatics tools using such algorithms to obtain the percentage of identity and homology between sequences. As an example, global alignment between sequences may be performed by means of the well-known GGSEARCH or GLSEARCH software. The identity between two amino acid sequences is preferably determined by using the BLASTP algorithm disclosed in Altschul, S. F., et al. “Gapped BLAST and PSI-BLAST: a new generation of protein database search programs”, Nucleic Acids Research— 1997, Vol. No. 25, pp.: 3389 -3402, and NCBI http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST.
  • mice of expression vectors comprising gene constructs with a nucleic acid sequence coding for the secreted splicing variant of mammal klotho protein (s-KL) operatively linked to an expression promoter, lead to an amelioration of cognitive and behaviour functions when these mice were submitted to several tests.
  • s-KL mammal klotho protein
  • the invention encompasses the administration of both the s-KL as protein or as nucleic acid sequence coding therefor, this last in a suitable form to be administered, such as in the form of a gene construct and/or expression vector.
  • s-KL herein means both forms of s-KL.
  • the cognitive and/or behaviour impairment is associated with aging.
  • the term “associated with” means that cognitive and/or behaviour impairment takes place when mammals, in particular human, get older (aging), such as in senile dementia, and also may take place in some neurodegenerative and/or neuropathological diseases, being cause or consequence of the physiological parameters also affected in said diseases.
  • senile dementia is related to a condition appearing due to the natural non-pathological aging, and it implies many cognitive and/or behaviour impairments, such as balance problems, tremors, memory distortions, anxiety, depression, apathy, agitation and irritability. Senile dementia may also be associated with neurodegenerative diseases as Alzheimer's disease.
  • the cognitive and/or behaviour impairment associated with aging is one manifested in senile dementia.
  • the s-KL is for use in the prevention and/or treatment of a cognitive impairment selected from the group consisting of learning and memory problems. More particularly, is for use in learning impairments, in particular learning procedure impairments, and memory problems, in particular memory losses, impairment of working memory, and impairment of long-term memory, the latter including spatial and episode memory impairments.
  • s-KL is for use in the prevention and/or treatment of a behaviour impairment selected from anxiety and agoraphobia.
  • s-KL is for use in the prevention and/or treatment of cognitive and/or behaviour impairment associated to neurodegenerative and/or neuropathological diseases selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Dementia with Lewy bodies, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Ataxia telangiectasia, post stroke dementia, post-traumatic dementia, senile dementia, and craniocerebral trauma.
  • neurodegenerative and/or neuropathological diseases selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Dementia with Lewy bodies, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Ataxia telangiectasia, post stroke dementia, post-traumatic dementia, senile dementia, and craniocerebral trauma.
  • s-KL is for use in the prevention and/or treatment of cognitive and/or behaviour impairment associated to Alzheimer's disease. In particular it is for use in the prevention and/or treatment of anxiety impairment in Alzheimer's disease.
  • s-KL for use according to the invention is, in a particular embodiment for the prevention and/or treatment of cognitive and/or behaviour impairment in mammals, and particularly in humans.
  • Klotho protein has a high percentage of homology among mammals as it is shown in the following table (analysis by BLAST, amino acid sequences from NCBI):
  • s-KL for use as above exposed is a polypeptide selected from SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2 and a polypeptide with a percentage of identity of at least 88% with any of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2. The percentage of identity determined by using the BLASTP algorithm.
  • s-KL for use as above exposed is a polypeptide with a percentage of identity with either SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 1 from 88% to 100%. Ranges of identity percentages comprise 88%, 88.5%, 89%, 89.5%, 90%, 90.5%, 91%, 91.5%, 92%, 92.5%, 93%, 93.5%, 94%, 94.5%, 95%, 95.5%, 96%, 96.5%, 97%, 97.5%, 98%, 98.5%, 99%, 99.5% and 100%. In another more particular embodiment the percentage of identity of the polypeptide is from 88% to 90%; and yet more particularly from 88% to 88.5%.
  • SEQ ID NO: 1 is the amino acid sequence of the transcript from alternative splicing of ⁇ -klotho human gene, comprising the KL1 domain sequence, with an approximate weight of 70 kDa, but with a specific secretion signal consisting of 15 amino acid tail that is not found in the m-KL transcript.
  • ⁇ -klotho human gene is the one located in Chromosome 13 NC_000013.11 (33016063..33066145) of the assembly GRCh38 (24.12.2013) for the human genome maintained by the Genome Reference Consortium.
  • SEQ ID NO: 1 derives from the corresponding cDNA of SEQ ID NO: 5, deriving from the alternative splicing transcript of the mRNA sequence with the GenBank database accession number NM _004795 of 5012 base pairs, version 3 of 3. May.2014.
  • SEQ ID NO: 2 is the amino acid sequence of the transcript from alternative splicing of ⁇ -klotho mouse gene, comprising the KL1 domain sequence, with an approximate weight of 70 kDa, but with a specific secretion signal consisting of 15 amino acid tail that is not found in the m-KL transcript.
  • ⁇ -klotho mouse gene is the one located in Chromosome 5 (150,952,607-150,993,809) of UCSC Genome Browser on Mouse July 2007 (NCBI37/mm9) Assembly for the mouse genome.
  • SEQ ID NO: 2 derived from the corresponding cDNA of SEQ ID NO: 6, deriving in turn from the alternative splicing transcript of the mRNA sequence with the GenBank database accession number NM_013823 of 5124 base pairs, version 2 of 15.Feb.2015.
  • the polypeptides with a percentage of identity of at least 88% with any of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2 encompass mammal proteins derived from amino acid variations of the sequences including single or of two or three amino acid substitutions in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2, deletion of one or two amino acids, insertion of one or two amino acids at any position of the sequence, all these amino acid variations in relation to SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2 with the proviso that the resulting proteins have the same function as the s-KL from which derive.
  • the polypeptides with a percentage of identity of at least 88% with any of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2 encompass also s-KL of mammals other that mice and human. As above indicated, the identity is determined by global alignment between sequences performed by means of the BLASTP algorithm.
  • the s-KL for use as above exposed is a polypeptide consisting in SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2.
  • s-KL may be used directly in the form of the protein, conveniently directed or finally reaching brain or central nervous system (CNS).
  • This protein can be administered, for example in the form of a pharmaceutically composition comprising a therapeutically amount of the protein suspended o dissolved in a carrier (solvent) useful for injection into the brain or useful for intravenous injection (mainly), together with acceptable excipients for stabilizing the protein.
  • s-KL can be expressed inside target cells of CNS by means of gene therapy.
  • the invention also provides the new gene construct comprising a nucleic acid sequence coding for the secreted splicing variant of mammal klotho protein (s-KL) operatively linked to an expression promoter.
  • a nucleic acid sequence coding for the secreted splicing variant of mammal klotho protein (s-KL) is to be understood, in particular, the cDNA sequence resulting from the reverse transcription (RT-PCR) of mRNA for said s-KL in the mammal.
  • the expression promoter operatively linked is selected from a constitutive expression promoter, an inducible promoter and a neuron-specific expression promoter.
  • the gene construct according to the invention comprises the nucleic acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 3.
  • SEQ ID NO: 3 comprises the cytomegalovirus intermediate-early (CMV IE) promoter, the sequence coding for s-KL (cDNA of mouse s-KL) and a polyadenylation chain (poly A).
  • the gene construct according to the invention comprises the nucleic acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 4, equivalent to SEQ ID NO: 3 but with the sequence coding for human s-KL protein (cDNA of human s-KL).
  • gene constructs consist in either SEQ ID NO: 3 or SEQ ID NO: 4.
  • All these gene constructs are able to express the protein of interest once in the cell, and particularly in the CNS cells.
  • the invention also proposes new expression vectors with central nervous system tropism comprising the gene construct as defined above, thus comprising a nucleic acid sequence coding for the secreted splicing variant of mammal klotho protein (s-KL) operatively linked to an expression promoter, and particularly to a constitutive expression promoter.
  • s-KL mammal klotho protein
  • Suitable expression vectors for the purposes of the invention are vectors with central nervous system (CNS) tropism or that effectively transduce CNS cells.
  • Expression vectors for gene therapy are usually viruses, and particularly retroviruses, adenoviruses, envelope protein pseudotyping of viral vectors, replication-competent vectors, cis and trans-acting elements, or Herpes simplex virus.
  • these expression vectors are viral vectors.
  • the expression vectors are adeno-associated virus, and more particularly adeno-associated virus with CNS tropism, which can be of serotype 1-10.
  • the adeno-associated virus is of serotype rh10 (AAVrh10).
  • s-KL in the form of plasmids or naked DNA can also be administered for gene therapy by non-viral methods, such as injection of naked DNA, physical methods to enhance delivery, electroporation, gene gun, sonoporation, magnetofection, or hydrodynamic delivery.
  • non-viral methods such as injection of naked DNA, physical methods to enhance delivery, electroporation, gene gun, sonoporation, magnetofection, or hydrodynamic delivery.
  • Other chemical methods to enhance delivery are the use of oligonucleotides, lipoplexes, polymersomes, polyplexes, dendrimers or inorganic nanoparticles.
  • Another aspect of the invention is, as above exposed, a combination of the secreted splicing variant of mammal klotho protein and/or the nucleic acid construct as defined above, and/or the vector as defined above with another active agent for use in the prevention and/or treatment of cognitive and/or behaviour impairment associated with aging, and/or with neurodegenerative and/or neuropathological diseases.
  • said combination is for the prevention and/or treatment of cognitive and/or behaviour impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • the combination relates to a pharmaceutically composition or preparation for administration of s-KL with any other active agent, such as donepezile hydrochloride (Aricept, Pfizer), memantine, rivastigmine, and ligustilide, which can be done separately, in any order, within a therapeutically effective interval, or for the simultaneously administration of the active agents.
  • the combination is for use in the prevention and/or treatment of anxiety in patients of AD.
  • s-KL can be administered to the patient via mucosa (e.g., nasal, sublingual, vaginal, buccal, or rectal), parenterally (e.g., subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, or intraarterial injection, either bolus or infusion), orally, transdermally or via inhalation by means e.g. of an aerosol.
  • mucosa e.g., nasal, sublingual, vaginal, buccal, or rectal
  • parenterally e.g., subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, or intraarterial injection, either bolus or infusion
  • transdermally or via inhalation e.g. of an aerosol.
  • Formulations suitable for parenteral administration include aqueous and non-aqueous, isotonic sterile injection solutions, which can contain antioxidants, buffers, bacteriostats, and solutes that render the formulation isotonic with the blood of the intended recipient, and aqueous and non-aqueous sterile suspensions that can include suspending agents, solubilizers, thickening agents, stabilizers, and preservatives.
  • Injection solutions and suspensions can also be prepared from sterile powders, granules, and tablets.
  • the composition is administered by injection e.g subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intravesically, intravenous, by infusion, e.g., using a reservoir or osmotic minipump or intramuscular.
  • the formulation can be provided in unit-dose or multi-dose sealed containers, such as ampoules and vials.
  • s-KL is administered to the patient parenterally and more particular, intravenously.
  • s-KL is administered with direct deliver to the central nervous system, more particularly injected intrathecally or intracisterna magna (ICM), and particularly by means of a patch, a micropump or a microcapsule delivery system.
  • ICM intracisterna magna
  • Klotho sequences were then cloned in pGG2 plasmid (of SEQ ID NO: 12 and courtesy of Genethon) by means of ligation with restriction enzymes, said pGGs plasmid carrying the Inverted Terminal Repeat (ITR) sequences of the adeno-associated virus serotype 2 (AAV2) genome and a multiple cloning site (MCS) where the gene of interest was cloned under the control of cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter (CMV IE).
  • ITR Inverted Terminal Repeat
  • AAV2 adeno-associated virus serotype 2
  • MCS multiple cloning site
  • a cDNA of m-KL was extracted from pCR-KL-TOPO-KL with Xbal/EcoRI restriction enzymes and cloning the fragment in vector p123T comprising sequence of CMV IE promoter (MoBiTec, Alemania), EMBL-EBI accession number Z46733, release 121 of 29.Aug.2014) using the same enzymes.
  • the fragment comprising sequences of CMV IE promoter and the sequence coding for m-KL (herewith termed CMV IE-mKL) was cloned in pGG2 plasmid, comprising sequence of CMV IE promoter, to obtain the expression cassette flanked with Inverted terminal repeats (ITR).
  • This plasmid was termed pGG2-m-KL (of SEQ ID NO: 13).
  • FIG. 1(A) it is schematically depicted the plasmid map.
  • FIG. 1(B) shows strategy to clone the s-KL isoforms that could be derived from synthetic pUC57-KL.
  • a plasmid including the s-KL coding sequence (pGG2-s-KL, SEQ ID NO: 15) was generated with XbaI/Bsp120I targets, which are compatible with NotI/XbaI to open pGG2 vector.
  • pGG2-s-KL and pGG2-m-KL were in this particular example obtained with pGG2 plasmid.
  • other plasmids are useful while allowing packaging in viral capsid of the gene constructs comprising CMV IE promoter operatively linked to the sequence coding for s-KL and a polyadenylation chain (SEQ ID NO: 3 for murine s-KL, and SEQ ID NO: 4 for human s-KL); as well as of the same constructs for m-KL (human or murine).
  • SEQ ID NO: 3 for murine s-KL
  • SEQ ID NO: 4 for human s-KL
  • the packaging of these sequences leads to the same viral genome and viral capsid proteins, independently of the plasmids used for the generation of AAV as exemplified below.
  • AAV vectors comprising either plasmid pGG2-mKL or pGG2-sKL were generated by means of triple transfection of 293-AAV cells from Stratagene (70% confluency) with the pGG2 plasmids, the pXX6 plasmid (SEQ ID NO: 16, by courtesy of Genethon), carrying AAV genes for AAV amplification, and the plasmid pREp2Cap10 (SEQ ID NO: 17) (MTA Dr. J. M. Wilson, University of Pennsylvania), this later carrying sequences Cap and Rep of AAVrh10.
  • Viruses were then purified using ultra centrifugation in iodixanol gradient, counted by picogreen method (Piedra et al., “Development of a rapid, robust, and universal picogreen-based method to titer adeno-associated vectors”, Hum Gene Ther Methods— 2015, vol 26(1), pp: 35-42; or doi: 10.1089/hgtb.2014.120 PMID: 25640021) and stored at ⁇ 80° C. until moment of use.
  • the expression vectors were named AAVrh10_pGG2-sKL and AAVrh10_pGG2_mKL.
  • Primers for quantification of AAVrh10_pGG2_mKL are m-KL-forward 5′-TTCAAACCCGGAAGTCTTTG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 7), and m-KL-reverse 5′-CCAGGCAGACGTTCACATTA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 8).
  • the procedure was as follows: 20 plates of 15 cm of diameter with 293-AAV cells from Stratagene (70% confluency) were transfected with Polyethyleneimine PEI (PolyScience) with 500 ⁇ g of pXX6, 250 ⁇ g of pRep2Cap10 and 250 ⁇ g of pGG2 plasmid. The three plasmids were mixed in media DMEM and added to the plates to a final volume of 14 ml/plate. 6 hours later the media was changed. 48 hours post-transfection cells were scrapped and centrifuged.
  • PEI Polyethyleneimine PEI
  • lysis buffer 50 mM Tris (Sigma), 20 mM NaCl (Panreac) and 2 mM MgCl2 (Panreac)
  • Benzonase 50 U/ml
  • Viral particles were further precipitated with polyethyleneglycol (PEG at 1 ml/4 ml of cell lysate). Centrifugation at 8000 g for 15 minutes allowed a pellet with the viral particles. 15 ml of lysis buffer were added to iodixanol gradient tubes and the viral particles removed after centrifugation at 690000 g for 1 hour.
  • mice were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of ketamine (10 mg/kg of body weight; Imalgene 500; Rhone-Merieux) and xylazine (1 mg/kg of body weight; Rompun; Bayer) and mounted onto a stereotactic frame (David Kopf Instruments, Calif., USA). Wild-type mice (12 months old) were injected in the brain to reach cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with the expression vectors of Example 1. So, there were generated s-KL mice (injected with AAVrh10_pGG2-sKL, also abbreviated AAVrh10-s-KL). As control (Null mice), a vector coding for an irrelevant gene was used.
  • CSF cerebrospinal fluid
  • the administered dose of the expression AAV vector was of 1.10 10 vector genomes per mouse (vg/mouse) in a single dose of 3 ⁇ L.
  • the body weight of animals was monitored once a month, from 12 to 19 months of age. Reflexes (visual reflex and posterior legs extension reflex tests) were measured three times by holding the animal by his tail and slowly lowering it onto a black surface. The motor coordination and equilibrium were assessed by the distance covered and the latency to fall off a horizontal wooden rod (1.3 cm wide) on two consecutive 20 s trials, respectively. In order to increase the difficulty of the task, the test was repeated on a metal wire rod (1 cm diameter).
  • Prehensility and motor coordination were measured as the distance covered on the wire hang test, which consisted in allowing the animal to cling from the middle of a horizontal wire (diameter: 2 mm, length: 40 cm, divided into eight 5 cm segments) with its forepaws for two trials of 5 s and a third 60 s trial. Muscle strength was measured as the time until falling off the wire in the 60 s trial. All the apparatus was suspended 40 cm above a padded table.
  • This test was developed to study neophobia and anxiety-like behaviours and is most often used in rodents to qualitatively and quantitatively measure general locomotor activity (horizontal and vertical activities) and willingness to explore (mostly shown by the vertical activity).
  • Open field activity including total distance travelled, rearing exploratory behaviour, latency of behavioural events, self-grooming behaviour and defecations, were examined in order to determine whether sKL overexpression in the aged mice brain elicited changes in locomotion, exploratory activity, emotional and anxiety-like behaviors.
  • results of this test are depicted in FIG. 2 (A, B).
  • total distance (cm) made in open field is depicted in bars.
  • FIG. 2(B) there are recorded the total distance (cm) made per minute for each type of mouse.
  • Table 2 different parameters to evaluate the exploratory activity of the animals in the open field test.
  • mice previously icy administered at 12 months with s-KL or m-KL travelled a greater total distance compared to control mice (p ⁇ 0.01; p ⁇ 0.001 respectively).
  • the greater locomotor activity observed in m-KL treated mice appears to be related to anxiety, since differences in the distance travelled were not observed in the first three minutes of the test ( FIG. 2B ).
  • the greater locomotor activity observed for the s-KL mice is not associated with anxiety since the distance run is statistically significant at the end of the test, and therefore is more associated with exploratory behaviour, which is more typical of younger animals ( FIG. 2B ).
  • the spontaneous exploratory behavior was tested in a T-shaped maze (arms, length 25 cm). Animals were placed inside the vertical arm of the maze facing the end wall. The performance was evaluated by determining the time elapsed until the animal crossed (four-paw criteria) the intersection of the three arms.
  • the working memory paradigm consisted in two consecutive trials: one forced choice and one free choice, with a 90 s intertrial interval. In the forced choice, only one of the arms according to a random order (contrabalanced in each group) was accessible. Each mouse was placed in the “vertical” arm of the maze with its head facing the end wall and it was allowed to explore the maze. After spending 20s in the accessible arm (learning criterion), the animal was put back into the home cage starting box.
  • mice were trained to locate a platform (7 cm diameter, 1.5 cm below the water surface, position indicated by a visible 5 ⁇ 8 cm striped flag) in a circular pool (Intex Navigation Corp. Calif., USA; 91 cm diameter, 40 cm height, 25° C. opaque water) located in a test room with distal visual cues. This required four platform trial sessions per day with trials spaced 15 min apart.
  • mice were gently released (facing the wall) from one randomly selected starting point (N, S, E, or W) and allowed to swim until escaping onto the platform (always in the middle of the SE quadrant). Mice that failed to find the platform within 60 s were placed on it for 20 s, the same period as was allowed for the successful animals. Twenty-four hours after the last cued platform trial, animals were tested for the cue learning of a visual platform consisting of four hidden platform trials (20 min apart). The platform was hidden 1.5 cm below the water surface, with its new position (NW) indicated by a visible striped flag (5 ⁇ 8 cm), and the distal cues were removed. During each trial, the escape latency, the distance traveled, and the mean speed were measured by means of a computerized tracking system (SMART, Panlab S.A., Spain).
  • mice had a poorer performance in the long-term memory trial. They showed less preference for the training quadrant than they displayed in the short-term memory trial. In contrast, the s-KL treated group had a clear preference for the training quadrant, statistically significant from the control (p ⁇ 0.01, FIG. 5 ). These results indicate that the cognitive effects of increased levels of s-KL in the CNS are connected with selective improvement in long-term memory.
  • mice were sacrificed and one half of brains fixed in paraformaldehyde (4%) for histology. Other half part of brains was used for determining in different brain sections (prefrontal cortex, PFC; cortex, C; hippocampus, H; and cerebellum, CB), the presence of viral genomes (vg) and the expression levels of s-KL.
  • s-KL-forward (SEQ ID NO: 9) 5′-TGGCTTTCCTCCTTTACCTG-3′
  • s-KL-reverse (SEQ ID NO: 10) 5′-GCCGACACTGGGTTTTGT-3′
  • CMV-Fwd (SEQ ID NO: 18) 5′-TACATAACTTACGGTAAATGGC-3′
  • CMV-Rev (SEQ ID NO: 19) 5′-AAAGTCCCTATTGGCGTTACT-3′.
  • Amplification program was of 98° C. for 2 minutes, 40 cycles at 95° C. for 5 seconds and 58° C. for 30 seconds.
  • AAV genomes were detected in all injected animals, AAV-s-KL distributed similarly to AAV-Null control (data not shown). Thus 6 months after intraventricular administration, AAVrh10 vector was still present in the CNS of 18 month-old mice. More importantly, s-KL expression was increased in all the brain areas analyzed (by qPCR on s-KL mRNA), ranging from 2 times higher in cerebellum to 4 times in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus ( FIG. 6 ). These results confirm that the differences in the behaviour and cognitive tests disclosed above for old mice where due to s-klotho over-expression.
  • Example 2 In vivo assay was performed as in Example 2, but with young animals (6-months old when injected with the AAV vectors comprising coding sequences for s-KL, or scramble DNA as control). In this case animals were injected in hippocampus (2 injections of 5 ⁇ 10 9 vg/mouse, one injection per hemisphere). Animal body weight was measured at the beginning of the experiment (6 months), at 9 and 12 months of age. The same behaviour and cognitive tests were conducted when mice were 12-months old. As in Example 2, weight (monthly determined) was increased during the assay, as expected. Of note, sustained overexpression or inhibition of s-KL over time had no significant effect and all groups showed a steady, similar weight gain (data not shown).
  • the control group solved the task with an error rate of 36.36%. This score was improved in the s-KL overexpression group with an error rate of 21.42%.
  • silencing s-KL increased the percentage of error up to 40% (Table 6).
  • shRNA-sKL treated animals showed the lowest preference for the training quadrant and random preference for the other quadrants (p ⁇ 0.0001 versus control animals).
  • elevation of s-KL levels enhances the ability to discriminate the quadrants, especially at long-term.
  • silencing s-KL worsens the animals' performance, confirming it has a role in cognitive functions.
  • Protein extracts (15-25 ⁇ g per sample) from tissue samples were run in denaturing acrylamide gels, and then electrotransferred to PDVF membranes (GE Healthcare). Membranes were blocked with TBS-T (20 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.5, 150 mM NaCl, 0.2% Tween-20) containing 5% skimmed milk, and incubated with the primary K113 antibody. Detection was performed with an appropriate horseradish peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibody (EZBiolab, IN, USA) and enhanced chemiluminiscence reagent (GE Healthcare).
  • TBS-T 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.5, 150 mM NaCl, 0.2% Tween-20
  • Detection was performed with an appropriate horseradish peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibody (EZBiolab, IN, USA) and enhanced chemiluminiscence reagent (GE Healthcare).
  • the K113 antibody was used at 1/5,000 dilution; KM2076 antibody was used at 1/1000; polyclonal rabbit anti-actin antibody (Sigma A2066, USA) at 1/1,000; and secondary HRP-anti-Ig antibody (Dako-Cytomation, P0399, Denmark) at 1/10,000.
  • the present invention results from inventors' determination in mouse wild-type brain tissue of the real expression at protein level (not only as mRNA) of a Klotho isoform, probably the splicing variant of mammal klotho protein.
  • FIG. 9 shows detection in whole brain, but also in prefrontal cortex (CPf), in cortex (Cx), cerebellum (CB), and hippocampus (HC).
  • CPf prefrontal cortex
  • Cx cortex
  • CB cerebellum
  • HC hippocampus
  • FIG. 10 The levels of the s-KL protein were particularly analyzed in prefrontal cortex (PfCX s-KL), cortex (CX s-KL), hippocampus (HC s-KL) and cerebellum (CB s-KL) of 6 months old and 18 months-old mice using that K113 antibody.
  • PfCX s-KL prefrontal cortex
  • CX s-KL cortex
  • HC s-KL hippocampus
  • CB s-KL cerebellum
  • the variant of klotho protein that is endogenously expressed in brain is mainly s-KL, using it in the prevention and/or treatment of cognitive and/or behaviour impairment associated with aging, and/or with neurodegenerative and/or neuropathological diseases, supposes a real advantage.
  • this is the first time s-KL has been administered (in this case by gene therapy) to wild-type animals (mice). It has moreover been made plausible that this protein is therapeutically effective in terms of preserving and/or ameliorating cognitive and behaviour impairments associated with aging (in particular senile dementia) and with some neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). In particular, therapeutically effective in preserving impairments in memory skills, such as memory losses and anxiety, all of them usually common in old people and in AD people.
  • AD Alzheimer's disease
  • s-KL levels were quantified in the hippocampus of treated animals to determine whether the effects observed in cognition were induced by s-KL overexpression and/or s-KL inhibition.

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WO2023198828A1 (fr) 2022-04-13 2023-10-19 Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona Traitement de maladies neuromusculaires par thérapie génique exprimant la protéine klotho
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CN113491764B (zh) * 2020-04-03 2023-09-19 北京大学 Fam19a5的医药用途
US20220008519A1 (en) 2020-07-09 2022-01-13 Costa Rican Social Security Fund / Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) Treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus infection with klotho
CA3218655A1 (fr) 2021-05-21 2022-11-24 Joan ROIG SORIANO Variant d'epissage secrete de klotho pour le traitement de troubles osseux
TW202421658A (zh) * 2022-10-17 2024-06-01 英商生物免疫有限公司 α2巨球蛋白、可溶性克羅梭(Klotho)及其使用方法
EP4378486A1 (fr) 2022-12-02 2024-06-05 Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Variant d'épissage sécrété de klotho pour prolonger la durée de vie
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US20220401583A1 (en) * 2021-06-16 2022-12-22 BioViva USA, Inc. Treatment of age-related cognitive decline using genetically modified viral vectors
WO2022266347A1 (fr) * 2021-06-16 2022-12-22 BioViva USA, Inc. Traitement du déclin cognitif lié à l'âge en utilisant des vecteurs viraux génétiquement modifiés
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WO2024092238A1 (fr) * 2022-10-28 2024-05-02 Unity Biotechnology, Inc. Polypeptide ou polynucléotide klotho pour améliorer la cognition

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US12036268B2 (en) 2024-07-16
CA3005398A1 (fr) 2017-05-26
EP3377091A1 (fr) 2018-09-26
CN117126829A (zh) 2023-11-28
HK1259628A1 (zh) 2019-12-06
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